Oh, hi!

[blamebrampton]

So in a very brief recap, I was made redundant and sent off with enough money to not work for a while, so I've taken July off. I might take August off, too, I'm going to play it by ear. After working like a maniac and stressing myself into a pretzel for years, I am very much enjoying not working and have instead been gardening, making things, learning to play the mandolin and writing my own stories. And realising how stressed I had been. You'll not be surprised to learn I seem to no longer have a stomach ulcer. Also, totally failing to be a good communicator. Emma, I will get those things to you! Oceaxe, I'm crap and keep failing to get back to you. Pretty much everyone, sorry!

All cats are still alive, the garden is coming along nicely: tomorrow I plant late potatoes! I keep meaning to write about politics or world events, but the short version is 'Oh, for fuck's sake…', so let's just say instead that I went to the dog park with doggy friends on the weekend and a pug climbed into my lap, as did a basset hound/laborador cross and I met a tiny tiny French bulldog puppy. Good day.

Which brings me to a poll!
[Poll #2050633]

Comments

[vaysh]

One day I'd like to hear the full story of you being made redundant. Preferably with a good glass of wine. Gardening sounds very, very good. Also, no stomach ulcer. \o/

Sign up Erised, Brammers!!!!! ♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I voted that I should finish novels ;-P

My theory is that a good compromise would be to not sign up, but to offer to pinch hit, as I can then in good conscience write something shorter and also there is every likelihood that no one will want anything PG as a pinch hit.

Last year I was humming and hawing and then I did, and then that night I read a 'Damn, missed out' post from a lovely person on my flist and I felt terrible. I mean, not terrible enough to drop out in favour of them like a decent person, but, you know, quite bad for someone as indecent as me.

Redunancy story is very simple: the bank is pressuring the parent company for money. Instead of acting like a sane company and cutting costs across the board, they have stripped the cash out of international and I had the highest salary. It's a huge relief as I had run out of magical ways to keep up the quality with ever dwindling resources. I look at it as a paid holiday and job search :-)

[vaysh]

I totally saw what you voted for (because of course I am checking out who voted for what ;)). It's the sane choice. BUT Erised is so much more fun. Of course, offering to pinch-hit is great, too. IF YOU DO IT!!!!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think pinch hitting is the saner option as it puts me at the will of the fates and also means I necessarily have to write something more manageable.

[vaysh]

And I am glad you have a back-up plan, job-wise, PLUS PAID HOLIDAY. :) Still, it sucks that they treat their people like this.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I managed not to crack! HURRAH FOR ADULTING!!

But pop me down for any non smutty pinch hits you need! And yes, I'll go onto the proper list when it comes out, too ;-)

[vaysh]

I'll pass the message about pinch-hitting on to the Erised mods. :) Official sign-ups are already closed. :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I watched! I meant the pinch hitter list. I was very pleased to see the last person on was terribly keen and new and worried they might have missed out. Decision vindicated!

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

Redundancy happens to editors far too often, but I'm glad you're managing to enjoy yours.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's just ridiculous. I'm jumping over to something corporate and going to demand scads of cash. I'll be bored solid, but at least paid for it.

[emmacmf.livejournal.com]

I need another 70k of Auror fic, it's my favourite kind of fic!

It's rubbish that you've been made redundant but I'm glad you've turned it into a positive and you're taking some time for yourself! <3

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Give me a few years to get organised enough to never work for anyone but myself again and then we can get back to that :-)

[germankitty]

Where's the option for "OMG, yes, please!!! *off-wall-bouncing with glee*"? ;-)

Also, unfinished WIPs? Gimmegimmegimme!

Seriously, shame about the redundancy, but good for recovery! (I'm just now reading your 2014 Erised fic, and am loving it to pieces! Draco as a 19th-century CSI is priceless, and I adore your Astoria. Charlie and Hector are adorable, too!)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

No, terrible option! I need to write novels and make enough money from them to not work for maniacs and then I can write fic whenever as there are actually enough hours in the day to do lovely things and walk and write when you don't go out to work for said maniacs!

At least some more of the Christmassy one should happen, I think.

And yes, I'm very much better off out of there. And slightly obsessed by dodos ;-)

[germankitty]

It's only a terrible option if you look at it halfway rationally (and I very grudgingly must concede the point).

For one of your fangirls, though, it's the only one, especially now that Gervase is no longer playing! :-)

Whatever happens for you now, best of luck!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Ah, but you see if I stick to my plan I can send you an actual book in proofs by then as I will need some volunteer readers to tell me what needs cutting and which chapter I forgot to write (I seriously do that far too often. Happily, I usually notice at some point!) Admittedly it won't be H/D, but at least one of the three has a gay lead and some serious URST.

[germankitty]

Well ... I don't usually read original fiction, but I trust you as a writer, so if you ever want to share, feel free.:-) I'll be looking forward to it.

(Now if someone would only give me a swift kick up the butt so I can get started on my hd_pet_fair fic ...)

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Fellow mandolinist eh? :o)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I've had it less than a week and so far have four chords under my fingers, so that's a generous assessment, but soon! Lovely things, the brightness of the sound is just charming.

[oceaxe.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you got laid off (? Unless it's just sheer good fortune all around) but very glad you're turning it to good account! No ulcer sounds great! I'm managing one at the moment and it's no fun.

Don't worry about not getting back to me immediately! RL comes first, always.

re: Erised- I'm planning to sign up this year for the first time. Been writing and it feels good, so I want to keep the momentum. As for you, well - I know fandom would love to see you do it, but you should make the call that suits your life best. I voted Y but don't let my selfishness sway you! I'm mostly just excited to see you posting!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's absolutely good fortune for me -- I was exhausted and stressed but still trying to carry everyone and now I can just go 'Yeah, not my problem!'

Ulcers are horrible. Are you using Nexium? It is The Best. I hope you get well soon! And yes, SO MANY THINGS TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT and I have failed on all counts.

I'm not going to sign up but will sign up for pinch hitting. That way people who we should all be hearing from now -- like you! -- have one more opportunity and then if the fates fall my way I will still write something, and if they don't, I'll write something anyway and just not fest! It will be old school! Like 2008 again!

[oceaxe.livejournal.com]

Ulcer meds are Famotidine for me, and it really works like magic. One minute pain, next minute nothing. Of course, I'd probably not have to take it if I laid off the coffee, sugar, fried foods, alcohol, etc... but then I'd have to take up cocaine and heroin, so what's the point?

Oh man, I binge-read Cursed Child last night and all my fics wheels stopped spinning. I feel a bit scared, actually - not sure how to deal with the new information but so intrigued by it that I can't ignore it. I feel like the world has been reset. And I have a fest fic due in a month that I've outlined and was excited to start writing, that I almost feel has been jossed. Even more nervous for Erised, now.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

So, yeah, I see what you did with your signup requests there, you fiendish tempter. I AM SITTING ON MY HANDS!!! (And thinking, no, that's fine, because I can always write her a wee giftie along those lines later.)

[oceaxe.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I didn't even see this reply until just now! Am I fiendish? I like to think so... and oh! If my fiendishness in any way inspires a little giftie, then it was well worth it!

[being-here.livejournal.com]

Pinch hitting? I mean.... anything that gets me more of your words is a good thing, so...

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think that is the most sensible option: I can turn something around quickly if there's a need and won't agonise for months and plan a monster that gets in late, but not take up a slot from a great new voice we haven't heard of and who might miss out due to my advantageous time zone of having hours of evening to prep and then just stay up a bit late to hit 'post' when the clock ticks over.

[being-here.livejournal.com]

Well, I am a bear who knows what they like, and I like your writing, but I also understand you have a case of Ethics, and this might allow you the best of both worlds? >.>

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I'll send you proofs of one of the novels when it is finished, win all round!

[noeon.livejournal.com]

You are not redundant: you have exceeded their capacity to house you. I think you are transcendent. And yes, paid holiday and time for a job search. <3 We've missed you!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think it was their capacity to pay me, but I love transcendent and will be borrowing that term gleefully!

I've missed you, too. Congrats on Leviosa, it looked amazing!

[capitu]

LOL I can't with these options! There should be one of "yes, of course! And this time I'm ACING that deadline right on time!" like, super optimistic!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh, you made me giggle. I am the queen of real life deadlines, which means THE WORST at fandom ones, alas! But I have always been much, much better when doing pinch hits, so I think that is the compromise. 50% chance I'll be needed, 50% I can just sit back and read and actually put up the next bit of the very slow Christmassy fic

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

why was was there not "OH HELL YES!!! Sign up for Erised" option???

*cough*

*regains self-control*

Yes, you should. ♥

[piratesmile331.livejournal.com]

I second this wholeheartedly. I kept on looking for the YES INDEED option.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOO! I thought we were friends! If anything, there should be a 'Sign up to be a pinch hitter and write something short if it is necessary, but get out a big bouncing novel I can buy so you can write full time and still pay all the bills.'

Only half my LJ friends are any use at keeping me committed to Sensible Adult Decisions. Which is reasonable, I suppose, because only half of me is, too.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Because I need to be a proper grown-up lady who writes books all day and so I need to sort out money for that plan. It's a part of my long term goal to actually finish the Muggle Parents Support Network, among others ;-P

I think putting my hand up to pinch hit is a sensible compromise: it will be in the lap of the fates!

[pinkdiamond.livejournal.com]

Or how about 9) please help me edit a stupid research document.

Actually it's okay, I am phrasing each and every new paragraph with WWAYD? And it helps keep me in check :)

I just need a way of saying "I've been looking at these paintings for 20 mumble years, I can tell the difference between the work of the master and later copies" and "the copies just look like poo in comparison" And "I have a BSc but I spent more time in the art departments in my own time."

Anyway.

Boo to redundancy, yay to a reasonable exit package, and yay for no stressmonster for a while.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

If you can wait two weeks, then YES! I can totally help with that. I have a few things to get submitt in the next week and a half, but after August 10, happy to be the proofreading fiend I am :-)

[zeitgeistic.livejournal.com]

I need another 70,000 word of auror politics.

I am sorry that you were made redundant, but maybe I'm not because the rest of your paragraph kinda makes it sound like the best thing ever! Hope you're okay!

[fantasyfiend09.livejournal.com]

I didn't see you on the sign up for Erised, so I hope that means you are writing a novel. I'm happy so long as you are writing. Or gardening. Or doing anything that makes you happy and doesn't give you an ulcer.

[glorafin.livejournal.com]

My answer would be a mix of two : Yes. We all need another 70,000 words of auror politics.

[nenne.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about the job situation. How do you feel about it now? Are there relevant and interesting jobs around to apply to?